


West Virginia Splash

by RebelJediPrincess



Category: Logan Lucky (2017), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, HEA, Love at First Sight, Rey is a mermaid, Rey needs love, Soulmates, assistance with dressing, cauliflower plans lead to love, clyde logan needs love, love leads the way, mermaid out of water, mmm mmm good, rey rides clyde, very hot lovin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:48:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26701690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelJediPrincess/pseuds/RebelJediPrincess
Summary: Logan brothers gone fishing leads to the most special event in anyone's life. Love. Clyde Logan meets Rey, a real mermaid. Who brings magic into his life as they fall in love.
Relationships: Clyde Logan/Rey (Star Wars)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 45
Collections: PL LOVE FEST for MyJediLife





	West Virginia Splash

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/gifts).



> This is a gift fic for my best friend, MyJediLife.
> 
> I wanted to write something magical for you. And while I have done that already, this was inspired in the process. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for bringing magic into my life when I needed a friend! Love you!
> 
> A special thanks to LadyRhi for both the beta of this story, as well as making a special moodie for Splash. Thank you awesome lady!

“This is certainly better than one of those cauliflower plans of yours,” Clyde couldn’t help saying to his brother, who was in the boat with him as they floated along the gleaming lake. It had been a long time since they were out together in the boat, but he didn’t want to think about the time wasted on other, less important things.. He loved doing this, though he had to admit that he missed the times they’d used to have Mellie there with them. 

Jimmy chuckled. “I was starting to think this  _ was _ one of my plans.” 

Clyde was a bit amused by that - cauliflower plans normally got him into trouble. “This is not a cauliflower plan, Jimmy.” There was a soft pause as he downed some beer before continuing, “My life of crime is over.” 

Jimmy just smiled at his brother. 

“It is too bad that Mellie couldn’t join us,” Clyde said after some time spent watching their bobbers floating on the glittering water. The quietude of the moment, the sound of the water against their boat gave him a special kind of peace. It was calm, but moving. 

“It is,” But Jimmy understood. “We will try to plan it better next time.”

It felt weird fishing without her, Clyde felt. “It is, after all, difficult to compete.”

“I’d thought about that,” Jimmy said right after downing some more beer. Setting it down next to him after wiping his mouth. 

“It is hard to play ‘who catches the first, the biggest, and the most’ with just two of us.” 

“That’s why we are not playing that this time,” Jimmy pointed out. “Unless you wanna try?”

“No.” Clyde paused. “It wouldn’t feel right.” He thought about it some more, “but what if she asks us?”

“I guess we will have to make note of that. If she asks us - we’ll have to give her an answer, won’t we?” Jimmy smirked mischievously.

  
  


***

  
  


Rey was swimming, reveling in the crisp water of the lake. She ventured away from the others, and ended up a little …. lost. 

Lost she might have been, but that certainly didn’t make her think twice about continuing onwards eagerly. She had always observed humans from a distance, or as close as she could manage in safety. 

Her head breached the surface of the water, and she spotted what - or rather  _ who  _ \- she was looking for. She watched the two men that were floating about on their shared boat at a distance in fascination. They were fishing and talking together, joking and laughing. 

Rey could not help the smile that spread across her face as she watched them. They were joking around about which one of them had caught the first fish, then who’d landed the largest. A soft laugh slipped out, making her go underwater for a moment in caution before resurfacing. Rey loved watching the two of them, though they hadn’t been out together in a while, which had made her sad. 

Her eyes wandered to the tall one with hair like black seasilk. Her gaze lingered on the one that called Clyde, as it always did. There was a feeling that sparked inside her as she watched him that she could not explain. It was intense. She longed to meet him, but it was forbidden. Rey was going against everything she had ever been told simply by watching him, that warmth glowing within her chest. 

  
  


***

  
  


Clyde could not believe what time it was when he glanced at his watch. “Oh damn! How did I lose track of time?” 

“Fishing and beers,” his brother deadpanned humorously.

Jimmy was not wrong. It had been a long time since they’d done this together - talked, fished and shot the shit as all brothers do. “I thought I was keeping track of the time a lot better than that. Each time I looked we had plenty of time.”

“It’s okay, Clyde,” Jimmy tried to reassure him, but then something happened. 

As they worked together to pull in the lines and get ready to head out, they saw something in the water. They both stared with wide eyes at the gleaming surface of the water, trying to see if they had, in fact, seen something. 

“Perhaps we have been out too long?” Jimmy muttered, rubbing his eyes.

“But we both saw something,” Clyde pointed out, sure he wasn’t wrong.

Jimmy nodded. “Yeah...”

  
  


***

  
  


Rey knew that swimming under the boat might have been a bad idea, considering it was too close to the humans. The risk of being noticed was heart-stoppingly high, but she did it anyway, diving down and gliding along beneath the prow.. 

Coming up on the other side, she quickly looked for a place to get out of the open water, something that would offer her cover. Spying the perfect spot, she proceeded to work her way out of the water, though she knew it was going to be slow-going to dry up and change from a tail to legs. 

She was also able to watch the men on the boat return to land, heart pounding after her near-miss. They secured the boat and unloaded it. Their slow progress bought her time. Anxious, she looked to see that what was once her tail was now a pair of long, slender legs. 

They felt weird still, tingling from the change. 

Rey had never had legs. After all, it was only in stories that she’d heard of this wonder, never through lived experience. She wiggled her toes on one foot, then the other, fascinated. A smile broke out on her lips at the extraordinary feeling of having legs, feet, and toes. 

She got to her brand-new feet, but almost immediately wobbled, unbalanced. A few times, she almost fell to the ground, unsure how to make her new appendages function properly, and unaware of the noise she was making. Thankfully, it wasn’t enough to get the attention of the nearby men - not yet, at least. 

She was trying to walk, doing her best to teach herself how to balance and put one foot in front of the other without toppling over. She stumbled a few times, growing frustrated quickly. “How do they do this?” she grumbled under her breath. 

Rey yelped suddenly, realizing she’d stepped on something that hurt her new, tender foot. She fell to the ground, losing her balance with a gasp of consternation.

  
  


***

  
  


Both Jimmy and Clyde froze the moment they heard something stumbling about in the bushes. Or was it someone?

“You heard that?” Clyde asked, frowning in concern.

Jimmy nodded. “I did!” There was a moment of silence while they listened, both worried when they heard a thud accompanied by a dismayed yelp. 

“Should check that out. Make sure the person isn’t hurt.” Clyde said urgently.

Jimmy nodded in agreement. “We should.” He’d figured well-enough that tender-hearted Clyde would want to check out that noise, just in case a person did need some help.

His brother had gone off to war to fight for his country, coming back wounded, but unbroken, only to take up tending his bar without complaint day in and day out. It all stemmed from the fundamental truth of Clyde Logan: he cared, deeply and honestly. People mattered to him, and knowing someone could be hurt, he’d never turn and just walk away.

So, together they headed on through the bushes in the direction that they’d heard the plaintive sound coming from. 

Clyde was the first to notice her, stopping dead in his tracks. Jimmy had to pull up sharply behind him, almost colliding with his brother’s broad back, peeking around to see what the hold-up was. 

“Uh.. Ma’am..” Clyde drawled, trying  _ not _ to look her over. 

The woman was naked. 

Rey jumped slightly at the unexpected male voice, turning with her heart in her throat. It was like the man's voice she’d heard in the boat - it was. She could see two men standing not too far away, looking at her. 

She wasn’t sure what to say to them, as this was her very first contact with a human. And it was this human. It was  _ him _ . 

“I think I’m gonna go see if I’ve got a spare t-shirt in the trunk,” Clyde rumbled, ears burning.He was feeling the need to walk away from this, raised to respect a lady’s privacy. He felt guilty for having dipped his gaze downwards when he’d first caught sight of that slender body. 

Unfortunately, his brother beat him to the punch, diving off back towards the car in search of something to offer her. He hoped Jimmy would move quickly, as he was finding it very hard to keep his eyes just on her face, pretty as it was. 

“Are you okay, Ma’am?” Clyde asked, desperate for something to say.

Rey looked at him for a moment, consideringly. She started to take a step towards him, but found herself off-balanced again, arms flailing in the air to right herself. “As it appears, no...” She trailed off, watching him for a moment. 

He seemed to remain upright easily enough, and she wondered how he could walk on legs without the issue of gravity she was currently struggling with. What was the secret? 

“Did anyone try to hurt you?” he asked her, unaware of her thoughts.

Rey was genuinely confused by the question. “What do you mean?”

“I heard something...” He started, and wondered how he could point out her state of dress without sounding guilty of actually taking notice. 

“I stepped wrong,” she answered as she showed him the rock her foot had hit stumbled on.

“Oh. Yeah! That would hurt,” Clyde slightly stuttered as he tried to formulate the words that would ask her about her clothes. “Where are...” he started most hesitantly, “where are your clothes?”

“Clothes?” Rey asked, a bit confused. “I - I don’t know!” There was a moment when she just looked at him, feeling that feeling of warm wanting deep inside. “I was…”

“Swimming?” he prompted, trying to be helpful.

“Yes,” Rey nodded, pleased with the explanation … given it was ultimately true, if not in the way he believed.. “I was swimming.”

Jimmy walked back up with a shirt in his hand, then. “Here is the biggest shirt I could find.” He handed it over to Clyde.

“This should keep you safely covered until we can either find something you can put on, or find wherever you left your clothes, ma’am.” Clyde quickly said just before he moved closer to Rey, handing it over to her with an encouraging nod. “Just until we find you something better.”

  
  


***

  
  


Rey looked at the piece of … fabric? ... for a moment. 

Clyde wasn’t sure what to make of her mystified expression. He did his best to not stare at her, especially once she finally took the shirt and struggled with putting it on. The urge to help won out over the rule to never impose on a lady’s privacy, and he gave her assistance with getting her arms in the correct holes. 

“Thank you!” She said cheerfully, with a smile on her face. 

That smile seemed to make him forget the oddness of the woman’s circumstances. It made him forget … pretty much everything else, really. 

“Clyde, we should probably finish getting things put away before heading over to the bar,” Jimmy announced, just in case his brother had forgotten that it was getting later.

“Yeah. I forgot,” He drawled slowly, trying to remember why he should care about that. He just couldn’t take his eyes off this woman. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, with eyes like gold-dusted leaves. 

“We can look at what we have that you can change into,” Clyde told her solicitously.

Rey nodded, unsure of what to say, only knowing that she wanted to get to know this man...Clyde. 

“Come this way,” he told her gently, holding out a hand to help her along and guide her out of the way of any sharp rocks on the path.

  
  


***

  
  


Rey had trouble walking, despite his care, and Clyde had told Jimmy to go ahead. He eventually just stooped down and scooped Rey into his arms so she would have no more trouble. He set her down on a chair once he got her inside, hoping he hadn’t offended her. 

“Can I look at your foot?” He paused. “The one that you hurt?”

Rey had no problem with showing him and immediately held it out. “It hurts.”

“You might have a bruise.” He looked at her foot, seeing some areas that were already purpling. He tried not to touch anything that looked like it hurt. “It doesn’t look bad. You may experience some tenderness and pain when you take a step for a while, though.”

Rey just looked at him, perfectly content to just watch him while he talked to her. 

Clyde couldn’t help but look into her beautiful eyes, for all that he believed she was out of his league. He silently wished he was the kind of man that could get her attention. 

“Want me to look at the other foot?” he offered, just for the excuse to touch her again.

Rey nodded without hesitation. 

And he did, feeling it carefully for any cuts or swellings on the silky-smooth skin. “Does it hurt?”

“Not as bad as the other one,” she answered. 

“They should feel better tomorrow. Just give yourself a little rest.” He paused, taking a breath for courage. “What is your name?”

“Rey!” She smiled. 

“Rey,” he repeated. “That is a beautiful name,” he complimented her, in hopes she would give a last name. “Is there anyone I can get a hold of for you?”

“My family is...” She had to think about how to go about this. “They are far away.”

Behind them, Jimmy had unobtrusively put the fish away, subtly listening to the two, and watching Clyde with interest. He couldn’t help but notice the way his brother was looking at the woman - like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He knew that look. He’d worn it himself twice in his life. 

If it wasn’t for Clyde shyly looking at his watch, he would have completely forgotten that it was really time to run. He was already later than he wanted. 

“I better get going,” he said in a rush, torn between getting to work and staying here with Rey while she smiled up at him.

“Can I go with you?” she asked. 

Clyde was shocked. Surely she had something else she would rather do. “If you would like to.” He looked her over, realizing they had a problem, though. She was still just wearing the oversize shirt. It covered the pertinent bits, but she was obviously naked underneath. “We need something for you to wear,” he said, unwilling to let anyone else see her like this.

Jimmy sighed. “I can put in a call to Mellie, see if she could put something together and meet you there before opening.” He knew that Clyde always did some prep work to get The Duck Tape ready to open to the public well in advance, so there was time. 

Clyde shyly nodded, grateful. “We can do it that way.” Then he paused, looking at Rey reassuringly. “I will get ready. Just wait here for me.” 

She nodded before he walked away quickly, feeling a sense of loss as he did so. There was something about this man, this human male. Her people had a word for it, but she wasn’t sure it was right. It wasn’t something she had experienced before…. not yet, anyway. 

It was only a few minutes before his tall form reappeared to hold out his hand to help her up, and they headed off. 

  
  


***

  
  


Her curiosity went into top speed as she got into the car, watching everything move by fast when he pulled out onto the road. 

Clyde thought it was odd, peeking at her from the corner of his eye every chance he got. This woman looked like she was experiencing something very new - for the first time, even. Even stranger, though, was that he enjoyed watching her stare in amazement at commonplace things he saw every day like this. It was like seeing something for the first time through her eyes. 

Clyde pulled up outside The Duck Tape, regretting that the ride was over. His sister was already there, waiting, he could see.

There was a smile on Mellie’s face, one that may have scared Clyde a bit, but he stepped over to her and gave her a quick hug, anyway. “Thank you for meeting me here.” 

“I take it this is the woman that Jimmy was telling me about?” his sister asked, peering around his shoulder to get a better look at the woman Jimmy had said Clyde couldn’t take his eyes off of.

“Yes. My guess is she is new to the area, went swimming and lost track of where her clothes are.” It was the best way he could figure her story out. 

Mellie looked at the woman as she got out of the car, eye widening. “She is beautiful.” 

“Don’t look at me like that,” Clyde said. “She is out of my league…” He stated low voice, more to himself than his sister. 

Mellie glared at him. “Clyde!” Mellie took a deep breath. She didn’t like hearing that from her brother. She knew he deserved happiness. “Love doesn’t work like that.” She knew his worth. Mellie believed with all her heart that the right woman was out there...maybe even right here. 

Rey walked up carefully, nervous about interrupting the conversation. 

Mellie noticed as soon as Rey was close enough, turning to give her a welcoming smile. “So. How about we open up, and I can work my magic.”

Clyde had a suspicious glare in his eyes, worried about just what that meant. “What? I have a change of clothes and make up you’ve left stashed in the office, but....” 

...But she certainly meant exactly what he was thinking. She just wasn’t saying it. or admitting her plans. After all, she had thought about it the moment Jimmy told her on the phone what was needed.

Cinderella needed a Fairy Godmother.

Clyde nodded. Then led the way towards The Duck Tape, opening up the doors to let them inside. As soon as they were, he locked up behind them, and started getting everything ready, trying not to worry too much about what his sister had up her sleeve.

Mellie looked at Rey. “Come with me!”

Rey looked questioningly at Clyde. Those eyes pierced him straight through.

“Rey... It’s okay!” Clyde said softly, as he felt the need to say that with how she looked at him, so unsure. He watched as Mellie and Rey walked to another room. Waiting for the moment that he could not see them anymore just before he got started on getting everything set up. 

Clyde didn’t want to be late to open up the doors to the public. He knew soon enough that his regulars would be out there, just waiting to come in and start their evening. His mind was on other things, though... or rather on  _ someone  _ else.

  
  


***

  
  


Mellie laid out everything she brought in with her. Going on what Jimmy told her, she pulled out some clothes from her big tote bag that she was certain would be perfect enough to pull off the evening. 

Mellie quickly looked over what she had to work with, impressed. “Now, having a chance to look at you for myself, instead of just going off my brother's word, I think this would be perfect.” Gathering a little something from among the choices she had pulled from her own wardrobe, she held an outfit out for Rey to take. 

“Go ahead and try those on,” Mellie added eagerly.

Rey smiled as she started to change into the clothes that Mellie handed to her, after she gave them a look. “How does this look?” she asked. 

She was new to clothes, so she had no idea whether the human had put her in something that actually looked attractive by their standards. 

Mellie turned to face Rey, clapping her hands together in excitement. “Let me adjust this here…” She made the adjustments, and that made all the difference. “There. That is  _ perfect!” _

Selecting the shoes to compliment the outfit that Rey is wearing, Mellie then turned to look over her face. “I don’t need to do much. Your skin looks perfect as it is. Maybe just moisturize and a little dab of color - just to bring out your natural beauty.”

Rey could not help but look at all the stuff that Mellie had been laying out as she was speaking. There were things that shined, glittered, getting her attention. This could be fun!

When Mellie started putting a light make up on her face, Rey stayed very still, only looking at the mirror when she could sneak a peek in between applications. 

  
  
  


***

  
  


Clyde was just finishing everything he set out to do, going over it all a few times to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. His attention had, admittedly, been on how things were going with Mellie and Rey. He feared that something would be amiss because of the fact that he found himself distracted. 

He was just about to unlock the doors and open them, but then a cleared throat caught his attention.

“Clyde!” Mellie called out as he turned.

His gaze fell on Rey, who walked into view next to his sister, and everything else fell away. She was breathtaking. 

“Doesn’t she look absolutely beautiful?” Mellie asked her brother, putting him on the spot.

Rey blushed a little, t unused to this much attention. She was a mermaid out of water, dropped into a world she didn’t understand. Looking at the man staring softly at her, she hoped that she’d found an anchor to cling to.

“Very beautiful…” Clyde breathed as he looked Rey over, many times having a hard time believing this was real - that she was real.  _ She must be a dream!  _ He was so convinced that this could not happen, not to someone like him. He wasn’t lucky when it came to women. Here she was, though. A gorgeous woman who seemed to want to be around him, who smiled at him like she wanted him to smile back. 

He could hear a tapping on the door, then. Some people were already showing up, and Clyde knew without looking who they were. 

“You better go open up now. You’ve got people waiting to come in.” Mellie smirked. She was enjoying this. It was done out of love, of course. It was her job, as his sister. Mellie loved her brothers, and wanted to see them both happy, so giving them a hard time to nudge them in the right direction was a duty she happily fulfilled. 

Clyde hurried off to unlock and open up, apologizing to his customers, “Sorry for running late.” 

“It’s okay!” Earl said as he entered. He walked up and noticed Mellie standing with another woman. “Hello Mellie. Who is this?”

“This would be Rey. She is new to the area.” A slight pause. “And now I gotta get going.” She smiled at Clyde, who looked nervous. 

“Well it was good to see you.”

“Good to see you too, Earl. Have a good evening!” She gave the older man a quick hug, then walked over to her brother. 

“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to give me a call.” Poor Clyde looked like a deer in the headlights, but Mellie knew that he needed this. “Be yourself, Clyde. That is all you have to do.” 

“But...” he murmured hoarsely, painfully unsure.

“Don’t but me.” Mellie wasn’t about to let him go there, so she gave him a kiss on the cheek and headed out. “Have fun!” Mellie said to the room as the door swung shut behind her. 

Clyde took a shaky breath before he headed behind the bar. “Rey, what would you like?” he asked, inviting her to sit on the stool in front of him. 

Earl had taken his seat at his normal stool, watching with intense interest. He could see there was something in the way Clyde looked at the pretty little lady before him. A knowing smile creased across his disreputable face. 

“I would like water.” It was really all Rey had had in the past. 

Clyde smiled. “Coming right up!” he said as he got right on pouring her a water. “If you’d like to try anything...”

“I don’t know...” She had no idea what all the colorful bottles behind the bar contained.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to! But if you would like to try something different, let me know!” 

Clyde got Earl a beer as soon as he walked over to him, knowing what his regular barfly would want. 

People started pouring into the bar, and it was getting busy, a little bit more than it normally did even. Clyde made it a point to check on Rey often, giving her more water when she ran low. 

A woman had walked up as he was pouring another round, looking to order. “Can I get rum and coke?” 

Rey was right there listening, and turned to Clyde curiously. “What’s that?”

The woman was shocked, but thought nothing of answering her question. “A really good drink. Would you like one?” 

Clyde looked at Rey. “I will make you one, if you’d like to try it.” 

Rey nodded, excited to try this human delicacy. 

The woman was going to pay for Rey’s, but Clyde stopped her. “Don’t worry. I got it for her. Thanks!” He put the woman's drink in front of her, and then set the second drink in front of Rey. 

“You might want to slowly sip this,” he cautioned her, getting a feeling she was inexperienced despite her apparent age.

Rey took a drink and felt the beverage  _ burn  _ as it went down. She made a face, her reactions making Clyde chuckle. “I will keep the water coming. It takes some getting used to.”

“That burns!” 

The taste was so different. Taking a small sip this time, Rey found it wasn’t as bad the second time. 

“It does! You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to.” Clyde wanted to make sure she knew that, that she wasn’t required to drink it. “There are some other drinks you can try that might be easier on you.”

“I trust you!” Rey smiled at him. 

Clyde’s heart started beating fast and hard in his chest as she said those words. He thought about it, and started putting together something that was a bit fruity - a bit light in the alcohol. “I rarely make things like this,” he admitted to her, but secretly was glad he had the stuff on-hand, now. 

Rey just watched Clyde in amazement as he was shaking what he poured in this vessel-like thing. It was interesting to watch him pour it into a glass just before he put the drink in front of her.

“Sip this as well. Slowly.” he urged her.

Rey picked it up and slowly sipped on it. It was so very sweet - it just tasted amazing! 

Clyde knew she liked this one a lot better by her reaction. Rum and coke wasn’t for everyone, certainly if this was a new experience, and this seemed to be just that. He assumed that she had lived a more sheltered life. 

  
  


***

  
  


Clyde had a busy night, and at some point people started leaving to go home. Earl and a few others lingered as long as they could, as usual, but even the old codgers had to stagger out eventually. 

“G’night Clyde,” Earl started. After watching the two looking at each other, all night, he looked at Rey and gave her a wink. “Pleasure to meet you, Rey.” 

“Nice to meet you too,” Rey replied to the older man just before he headed out, watching as Clyde followed him to close and lock up. Clyde did some picking up around the place, Though he wasn’t as thorough as usual. He knew he would have to do some things before he opened up the following night. 

Rey’s eyes followed him in fascination, and she was shy the moment he caught her watching him. 

“I’m sorry! This part is boring.” 

“No. It’s not!” Rey had observed humans from a distance for years. It was always so interesting. Life was so very different on land, and so very hard for her, she’d found. Her first steps were difficult, in more ways than one. 

He finally got to a point he could sit down in the stool next to her, though he fekt warmth spread across his cheeks as he did so. Clyde wasn’t used to being watched by the most beautiful and perfect woman. What did he have to offer her? He didn’t feel like he deserved any of this woman’s attention. And yet, here she was, giving it to him. 

“I wanna know about you,” he told her quietly.

Rey smiled. There wasn’t much to tell - or that she  _ could  _ tell, anyway. Rey didn’t want to lie to him, however. She was certain the man would react oddly if she came out and said what she was, but still. 

“There is not much,” she began, then paused. “I love swimming.” 

Clyde smiled at her. “Swimming is fun.” It had been a while since he’d done that. “Maybe we can swim together.” 

There was an ache as she thought about that, the knowledge that she would have to go back into the water and rejoin her family, her pod. Knowing that her actions would get her in trouble, and there was no way she could come back hurt her deeply. 

That was unless she wanted to stay. “Maybe...”

“Would I be right in guessing that you don’t have a place to stay?” he asked.

“I don’t!” Rey admitted with a shrug.

Clyde took a deep breath, but still stuttered a bit as he made his offer, “You’re welcome to stay with me.”

There was a look in her eyes. A feeling inside. She claimed his lips with hers in a soft kiss. 

The feeling was so very intense, even more than she remembered being told it could be. 

Clyde could have sworn that his heart stopped beating the very moment that Rey’s lips touched his. Was this really happening?

_ Please! God.. If I am dreaming - Don’t let me wake.  _

This had to be a dream. His hand rested softly against her cheek as he kissed her back. Rey pressed forward to deepen the kiss, and his heart was beating so hard he felt she had to be able to hear it. He felt intense feelings raging through him in every which way. 

Rey felt it deeply, too. She should have been telling herself not to, but her heart was winning in this battle over her reason. Her heart felt right about all of this.

“We should probably go home,” he said through panting breaths after they pulled apart. 

They looked into each other's eyes.

Rey nodded with a smile, and they headed out of there together - hand and hand. 

  
  


***

  
  


Even while Clyde was driving from the bar towards home, they held hands. He keenly felt the loss of her touch every time he had to take his hand away on a turn. He smiled the moment that they got to his place. 

Clyde unlocked the door and opened it wide to let Rey step in first. “Make yourself at home.” 

He wasn’t surprised by the fact that his brother had left him a note stating that he would see him in a day or two, and to call him if he needed anything. 

“Would you like something to drink?” Clyde asked as he looked over to see her sitting on the couch.

Rey smiled in gratitude. “Yes! Please!” 

Clyde wasn’t sure if she would like beer, but he did have some wine set aside for when he had family and friends over. He figured he could always pick up another bottle later. He walked over with a glass and his beer, and took the seat next to her. “I am not sure if you would be okay with beer. So, this is another drink that is light and sweeter-tasting.” 

“I am sure I will like that. I liked the sweet drinks you gave me at the bar.” He switched on some television quickly, just to have background noise. They could relax, he figured, and talk. He’d happily do whatever she wanted. 

Rey turned and watched the screen with sudden interest. There were two people kissing, and it seemed like it was getting hotter by the moment. “What are they doing?” 

“It is a love scene.” He paused. “The movie itself is a good story.” 

Rey watched. There was a ...  _ feeling  _ between her legs. She found herself wondering how that felt, to be handled by someone like that. It wasn’t the only time that she’d had that feeling. 

It was the kiss. The touching. Clyde.

After pouring her a glass of wine, Clyde popped open his beer.

“Can I try a taste of that?” she asked curiously.

“Sure.” Clyde handed the beer over to her. 

As she sipped it, her facial expression told him everything. 

“Don’t worry if you don’t like it. Beer is not for everyone. Try the wine! There are different kinds of wine. I can get a different one if you don’t like this one.”

Rey took a small sip. “Oh wow! It tastes so sweet.” She drank it down that much faster, thinking there was nothing to it. She sank into the cushions, feeling warm and relaxed. 

She was also finding it hard to keep herself contained...and another love scene had popped up on the screen. 

Clyde tried to do his best to not react to things on the screen, but  _ she  _ was there, and her proximity was doing things to his libido that didn’t bode well. He had to get up and quickly change into comfortable shorts. 

Ultimately, it turned out to be a pointless effort to hold himself in-check.

Rey’s lips met Clyde’s lips again when he came back and joined her on the couch. Soon, Rey was sitting on his lap. She found that where their bodies settled together, there was a slight rub, a friction. She felt something hard against her center.

Clyde could feel the heat radiating from her, and he lost himself in her siren’s touch. The deeper the kiss became, Rey began to move against him in a way that seemed so natural to them both. 

Rey’s moans at the sensations flowing through her mixed with the sound of Clyde’s, muffled by the kiss. She wondered how this would feel without clothes on, and, intent to find out, she pulled away from his lips to climb off him for a moment. 

Working frantically, Rey slipped what she was wearing off, tossing Millie’s clothes away without care. The last thing she took off was soaked. 

Rey’s eyes met Clyde’s eyes and then he swallowed hard as he looked her over, eyes trailing down along the perfect skin he’d tried so hard to ignore earlier. 

Her curiosity got the better of her, and Rey settled herself back down, then moved her hand over his lap. What she found welcomed her touch with a heated pulse. It was thick in her hand as she moved over his shorts. Hard. The look on his face made her ache. 

Emboldened, Rey grabbed the waist of his shorts and pulled them off. Giving in to her, Clyde lifted himself up to help her. 

He would not stop her if she wanted him - as he wanted her more than anything. His arousal was a plain statement of that fact. 

As soon as the shorts were off, Clyde felt her hand grip his bared arousal. He closed his eyes, feeling the way she explored him, fascinated by the feel, the heft, everything about him. 

He wanted to touch her too, and shifted as her hand worked his length. Clyde could guess how wet she was, imagined it with longing. After only a moment more of hesitation,. he moved his hand to her thigh in invitation. In answer, she spread her legs more, welcoming him in return. 

His fingers moved along her center, feeling how wet she was for him. Rey’s body quaked the moment he touched her clit, and she was glad that she’d ended up on his lap again. 

“That felt good,” she groaned. “Can you do that again?” 

Clyde smiled. “If you want me too!” 

“I do.”

Clyde guided her more fully onto his lap. “So you don’t lose your balance…” He moved his hand up her thigh again, letting his fingers move over her slick folds. His mouth watered at the thought of tasting her, but told himself to take it slow, to put her pleasure first. 

Rey panted as Clyde worked her clit. This time, she was more secure, and her heavy breathing was accompanied by moans as he built a pressure within her she couldn’t understand, but wanted more of. Her voice grew louder, and her legs quaked.. 

Clyde slid a finger inside her and she eagerly went down on it, trying to push it deeper. He felt her grind against him, and he asked, “Another finger?” 

Rey answered with a semi-understandable yes, but when he moved to work another in she moved to keep his finger deep inside. “I need you so bad,” Rey barely managed to breathe out. 

Pulling his finger out, Clyde reached beneath her to position himself. The moment she felt something hot and thick against her, Rey started lowering herself in excitement. It was much larger than his finger. Her need only grew even more as she pushed down onto his lap slowly. 

“Oh God!” Clyde gasped. “Easy. I don’t want this to hurt you.” Rey was tight around his cock, but she felt perfect. “You feel like heaven..”

Rey felt something as she worked him deep inside. She felt complete, like they belonged with each other like this. She remembered being told that it was something that could be felt instantly when you found the right person. 

She’d felt that the instant was the moment she saw him, and this only confirmed it. 

Clyde’s hips moved just right, meeting her needy movements from underneath as she rode him. Rey had started off slow and easy, but she soon picked up the pace. She liked it, liked the feel of him filling her, and. ground more firmly against him. 

They held each other's gazes; when they were not struggling with their eyes closing softly in pleasure. 

“I want to look into your eyes,” Clyde said through panting breaths. He stuck his thumb in his mouth to wet it before he moved it down to rub her clit as they moved together, enhancing the sensations bursting through her.

Rey wasn’t sure what he was doing until she felt his thumb reach its destination. She could feel heat build inside her faster, harder. It was a feeling she had never felt before. Her body quaked under some intense feeling she could barely describe as she squeezed around Clyde’s cock. 

“Come for me, Rey,” he groaned, begging her to take what he wanted so badly to give.

Rey was overtaken by the wave of her orgasm, holding desperately onto Clyde as she ground down onto him deeper. 

Clyde felt the same intense wave of ecstasy flood him, and his body quaked as he gave her everything he had. 

In the aftermath, Rey stayed on his lap, happy. She felt as his hand rubbed her back, loving the warm glade of his skin over hers. “That feels so good,” she told him, relaxing to the feel of his touch.

“This would be perfect, laying on the bed. And you in my arms…” he mused drowsily.

She wasn’t sure what that was, a “bed,” but she liked the idea of being in his arms. “Let’s do that!” 

Rey carefully got off his lap, and once he was on his feet, Clyde picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. She smiled when he placed her on his bed. The moment he climbed in next to her after he had removed the prosthetic arm, she moved in close to him. She felt his arm come around her, getting comfortable. Her fingers traced patterns on his skin. 

“This does feel amazing!” she told him.

They both stayed like that, just fully content, taking in the moment of being with each other. Clyde fell asleep first, and as she stayed up thinking about the inevitable, she knew at some point she would have to leave. 

But how could she? Rey had found  _ the one _ . She knew that with everything in her.

Eventually, she finally drifted off to sleep.

  
  


***

  
  


In the morning, Rey was the first to wake up. She put on an oversized shirt she found, and headed outside. She loved watching the sun rise early in the morning. It helped her think about this. 

She had already been away from the pod too long. If they found her here among humans... 

She didn’t know what they would do. 

Clyde woke up, shocked to see her gone. Worried, he quickly threw something on and put on his prosthetic arm. He walked outside, and breathed a sigh of relief when he found her. 

Walking up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her. “Morning, Darlin’” 

“Morning…” she murmured back.

There was a tone in her voice that concerned him. “Everything okay?” He asked, worried. He was concerned that last night may have been too soon, but it had felt right in every way. 

Or was that just him?

Rey didn’t want to lie. She wanted to be honest about everything with him. “Not really!” 

“About last night?” 

She could see the worry in his eyes and couldn’t bear for him to think he’d done something wrong. “No! That was amazing,” Rey reassured him, but could feel the ache growing in her heart. 

“What is it then?” He paused, confused. “You can tell me anything.” 

“I want to stay! But I know I have to leave.” 

Those words made him ache. He could see that it made her hurt to say them. 

“You can choose to stay...” But he knew he couldn’t hold her there. He would want her to choose to stay with him, not force her.

“There is something about me that might make you change your mind,” Rey whispered.

Clyde could not imagine anything making him change his mind. Not now. Not ever - not about her. “Everyone has a past.” 

“I am different!” she cried. He didn’t understand.

Clyde looked down at his prosthetic arm. “So am I!” He paused. “I only have one good arm to hold you with, but I’ll do it with all my heart.” 

She turned to look at him with heartache. Everything he was saying was making it that much harder to explain. Deep down, she knew the only way to do this was to tell him what she was a mermaid. That was scary, dangerous. It ran the risk of being exposed. 

They stood there at a loss, and just stared into each other's eyes.

Her beautiful eyes were serious. They spoke volumes, and it made him hurt inside at the thought of losing her, even after so little time. It made him feel so much. 

“It is important that you keep this a secret, Rey told him. “I have put my trust in you already, but I am asking far more now. Can I trust you?” 

Clyde could see how important this was to her. He nodded. “I give you my word! Yes!”

Rey looked in his eyes. She felt it so completely - he meant it. 

“Come with me…” 

She slipped her hand in his, leading him off to where they had met for the first time the previous day down by the water. Now, though, they went further, out to where the boat had been tied off.

Simply telling him might not be believable. So, this was when she jumped right in the water. 

“Rey!” Clyde called out as she did, alarmed.

Rey felt her fingers break the surface of the water, and then she was under. She immediately felt the sensation that told her she was shifting from her human legs, back to her tail. Rey worked the shirt off as she was going through her transformation, and after that her tail slapped the water surface as she moved through the water. 

In one single movement of her arms she breached the water surface. 

Clyde wasn’t sure he was seeing this right. What happened before his very eyes was magic. Rey had legs one moment, and then he was seeing a fish tail the next moment. 

Then he remembered that moment that he’d thought he’d seen something in the water. He’d thought he was seeing things, just his mind playing tricks on him. 

_ Rey’s a mermaid! _

Mermaids were a myth, though. They were fantasy. He was trying to tell himself all that as he was looking into the eyes of the most beautiful woman, however - the most beautiful  _ mermaid _ that could ever have lived. 

“Are you okay?” Rey called out to him quietly.

Clyde saw worry in her eyes, and it touched him. “I’m okay!” He paused. “I didn’t expect this at all.” 

Rey wasn’t sure what to make of this. Did it change for him now, finding out that she is a mermaid? 

“I can leave...” Those words were breaking her heart to say. “...if you want?”

Clyde couldn’t help the feeling inside at her suggestion. It felt like he was breaking with each word. His heart ached at the thought of losing Rey after the night of making love to her. Each touch. Every sweet kiss. Everything that had fulfilled him. 

It all played in his mind as he thought about her words. It wasn’t even a question.

“I don’t want to be without you.” 

Rey had never thought she would find someone that she felt so strongly for. The very thought of swimming away now was breaking her heart. Clyde’s words touched her, and Rey’s eyes began stinging from the tears she couldn’t hold back. “I don’t want to be without you, either.” Rey knew with her all that she belonged with him. 

“Meet me over that way. I am swimming in.” She pointed. 

Clyde gave a nod. He watched as she went underwater and started swimming in the direction she had pointed him. He ran as quickly as he could, and didn’t even hesitate before he walked into the water, just so that she could have the cover of the water. 

Clyde got lost in her beauty. Her skin shimmered with the water as the sun shone down upon her. It explained why she’d been naked when they first met, and why she hadn’t seemed bothered by her state of dress... and her confusion about clothes. 

“You’re beautiful!” He said as he lowered himself down to her. Clyde didn’t care about getting wet, so long as it brought him closer to the woman - the mermaid - he wanted to be with more than anything. 

“I love you!” Rey got out just moments before his lips claimed hers.

Those were words he’d never thought he would hear from another person. How those words sang in his heart. 

Pulling from the kiss slightly, Clyde looked down at the only woman for him. 

“I love you too!” 


End file.
